Tuesday, May 27, 2025
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Memorial Day Recognized in Shelby County
photos by JACK BOYCE
The sounds of military service songs and loudspeaker speeches combined with those of deaccelerating vehicles, whose drivers just realized they were passing the solemn marking of Memorial Day, once again combined as Shelby County’s 149 fallen soldiers were honored at the annual program on the courthouse lawn.
“Today is a solemn reminder that the freedoms we cherish have been secured through sacrifice, courage and unwavering devotion to duty: From the birth of our nation on the battlefields of the Revolutionary War to the jungles of Vietnam and in the mountains of Afghanistan,” Col. Scott Oden, Aviation Brigade Commander at the Indiana National Guard in Shelbyville, said. “This Memorial Day, we pause to remember those who never returned home, whose names are etched in granite, whose stories are told in quiet conversations, whose memory lives on in the hearts of those that they left behind.”
Oden recognized the families of those who lost loved ones in military service. “You, too, have served through separation, uncertainty and sorrow. Your strength continues to inspire us.”
He also honored warriors with both visible and invisible wounds. “They remind us that the cost of war does not end on the battlefield.”
The Blue River Community Choir, directed by Francis Jackson, and the Shelby County Community Band, directed by Bob Wiker, performed patriotic songs. The American Legion and VFW Ladies’ Auxiliaries laid the wreath, Mike and Lana Freeman of Freeman Family Funeral Homes provided the programs and Gary Lauziere played “Taps.” Kevin Williams, American Legion, served as Master of Ceremonies and gave the benediction, and Brad Jones gave the invocation. Brian Hartung, American Legion, and Troy King, VFW, read the names of those who gave their lives in service.
“Memorial Day is more than a day of remembrance,” Oden said. “It is a call to reflect, to recommit and to live lives worthy of the sacrifices made on our behalf.”
BELOW: A Sunday night view of the memorial crosses on the Shelby County Courthouse lawn. | photo by JACK BOYCE
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NOTEBOOK:
Shelbyville Middle School eighth grader America Leon broke her own 2400-meters school track record at State over the weekend. It also outdid the boys’ 2400 school record time, giving the girls’ record holder a faster time than the boys’, a rarity for track and field.
A three-wheel motorcycle overturned while turning from E. Broadway onto S. Vine St. The driver and a witness were able to lift the bike off the driver, who suffered lower right leg pain and had abrasions on his arms and hands. The driver and a witness said speed did not appear to be a factor.
A semi-truck driver off his route struck a Stop sign while attempting to turn onto N. Harrison from E. Washington St. The sign and other signs attached to the pole were bent.
HOOSIER NEWS: Five Indiana State Parks are celebrating 100 years with new exploration challenges. Parks with centennial challenges include McCormick’s Creek State Park (est. 1916), Turkey Run State Park (est. 1916), Clifty Falls State Park (est. 1920), Pokagon State Park (est. 1925) and Indiana Dunes State Park (est. 1925). The challenges kick off the celebration of this year’s 100th anniversaries of Indiana Dunes State Park and Pokagon State Park. For a hundred years, these parks have provided northern Indiana with natural playgrounds and conservation of unique natural resources. Each challenge explores the history of the respective park’s natural resources, pre-park establishment, and important historical structures and stories. Guests who complete a challenge earn a unique sticker for that park. The instructions for each challenge can be found at dnr.IN.gov/healthy. (Daily Journal)
NATIONAL NEWS: Honeycrisp apples were the undisputed top of the barrel, with their sweet flavor changing the game for the entire industry. That said, honeycrisps are reportedly not as tasty anymore. This is partially a result of the very thing that makes Honeycrisps particularly unique as a variety: it was bred — from its earliest form as tree MN1711 at the University of Minnesota in 1983 — for taste. This is the obvious reason the variety tastes great, but other qualities (a sufficiently thick skin to survive transportation in an industrialized agricultural environment, for one) are notably absent. While the apple was bred for Minnesota, once the apple-growing juggernaut of Washington State and the system of trucks, freezers and stores that form the apple supply chain got hold of it, things started deviating from that ideal of an apple. The breed suffers after spending up to seven months in common storage, unlike its peers. Today, there’s an oversupply of the apples, a surplus of 71 percent of the five-year average, selling for just $1.70 per pound. (Serious Eats/Numlock)
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SHS Courier Archive Highlights
May 1970
The sophomore class held a picnic at Kennedy Park, 5 to 9 p.m. The Holly Go Softly combo of Jeff Wagner, Dean McNamara, Terry Ogden and Irving Jennings provided entertainment. Members of the event planning committee included Katrina Everhart, Dan Conner, Brad Eads, Donna Powell, Micki Bruning, Debbie McKee, Jeannine Huggins, Bill Huggins, Bill Young and Bob Hasselbring.
Four retiring teachers were honored at the Shelbyville Central Teachers Association banquet. Mrs. Bernard Dawson, Mrs. James Whitcomb, Everett Brown and Herman Lane, representing a total of 172 years of teaching, received gifts from Mrs. Vera Murphy, president of SCTA. Both Mrs. Dawson and Mrs. Whitcomb had been teaching elementary for 45 years each. Brown, a commerce teacher, spent 27 of his 40 years in the profession at SHS. Lane had taught at the junior high for 22 of his 29 years in Shelbyville.
The SHS band participated in the 27th annual Good Neighbor Festival at Seymour Senior High School. Participating band members were Kathleen Reagan, Kathy Shaw, Ginger Neal, Cheryl Kuhn, Connie Reeves, Pat O’Neal, Janet Coulston, Kathy Suits, Dave Borst, Pat Landwerlen, Gary Unstead, Stan Smith, John Matchett and Darrell Mollenkopf. Gary L. Myers was the director.
A Vietnam vet who had once been addicted to drugs gave a convocation at SHS titled, “Drugs are Not Groovy.”
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This Day in Shelby County History
News around Shelbyville and the surrounding area as reported on or about this date in history. Selections are curated by The Addison Times from Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department materials.
2005: The Shelby County Council debated implementing a one percent restaurant tax, with half of the proceeds kept locally and the other half used to pay for a new $900 million Indianapolis Colts stadium and Indiana Convention Center expansion.
1995: A developer received approval to add 48 apartments the existing 98 at Loper Commons.
Bobby Bare, a Grammy Award-winning county music artist, was contracted to perform on the final night of the 16th Bears of Blue River Festival. Members of the Festival board were Bob Williams, James Lisher, Sharon Fewell, Darrell Adcock, Pam Ashcraft, Sue Carroll, Bradley Fix, Tom Crouch, James Garrett Jr., Jeff Martin, Bob Plew, Lee Sherley and Tom Sosbe.
1985: New holes were opened at the Elks Blue River Country Club. Jean Smith, Country Club Heights, won the privilege of being the first to tee off.
1975: About 20 local kids competed in the Amateur Athletic Union’s Region VI Championships, held at SHS and hosted by the Shelbyville Trampoline Club. Jim Pierce was the coach of the local team.
1965: Paul’s 66, 704 S. Harrison, announced the winners of a drawing. Winners of 10 gallons of gas each were Trudy Cousins, Mary Sandefur, Ethard Stevens, Ed Kincaid, J.E. Luftus, Mrs. Charles Ridis, W.J. Bastin, Richard Foxworthy, S. Hulsman and Dick Showalter.
1955: Major School graduates Wallace Weakley and Loretta Sutton placed flowers on the grave of Charles Major, a famous author who had been a member of the first recorded graduation class of the old Shelbyville Academy, located on the site of the later Major school. The flowers were provided by Shelby National Bank.
After reported disagreements about Porter Pool operations for the year, the local American Legion withdrew from serving as sponsor of the pool, a role it had served since the pool’s opening. Although the pool had operated independently for years, the Legion had backed shortfalls.
1945: Rev. E.L. Ford, pastor of the First Christian Church, spoke at the SHS baccalaureate service, held for the 108 members of the 1945 graduating class. Rev. Josephine Huffer gave the invocation.
1935: Over 1,000 people attended the SHS baccalaureate service at which Rev. A.E. Cowley spoke on “The Challenge of Jane Addams to American Youth.” There were 104 graduates in the class. Rev. Josephine Huffer gave the invocation.
1925: Local officials discussed the possibility of building a permanent tuberculosis clinic here. The temporary clinics hosted by the Shelby County Anti-Tuberculosis Society, had attracted many more patients than expected.
1915: The Parent-Teachers Club of the Departmental School purchased a bench for City Park.
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OBITUARIES
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